SOTHEBY'S OPENS RETAIL WINE SHOP

SOTHEBY'S HAS SOLD WINE AT AUCTION FOR MANY YEARS BUT NOW IT HAS RECENTLY OPENED A RETAIL STORE. THE AUCTION HOUSE BOUGHT OUT AULDEN CELLARS, THE RETAIL WINE STORE ON THE GROUND LEVEL FLOOR OF ITS HEADQUARTERS AT 1334 YORK AVENUE ON MANHATTAN'S UPPER EAST SIDE. THE NEW STORE WAS DESIGNED BY DEANNA KUHLMANN-LEAVITT OF KUHLMANN LEAVITT INC, AND OFFERS A WIDE RANGE OF WINE FROM $13.95 TO $40,000 PER BOTTLE. WHEN SOTHEBY'S FIRST STARTED WINE AUCTIONS IN NEW YORK IN 1994, STATE LAW REQUIRED AUCTION HOUSES TO PARTNER WITH A STORE THAT HAD HELD A STATE LIQUOR LICENSE FOR 10 YEARS. DECANTER REPORTS THAT SOTHEBY'S FIRST PARTNERED WITH SHERRY-LEHNAMM. WHEN THAT RELATIONSHIP ENDED IN LATE 1999, SOTHEBY'S FOUND ANOTHER LICENSEE AND THE RESULTING STORE WAS NAMED AULDEN CELLARS. TEH ONLINE STORE CAN SHIP AROUND HALF OF TEH US. THERTE ARE PLANS TO EXPAND THE CONCEPT TO OTHER LOCATIONS IF TEH SOTHEBY'S WINE SHOP IS A SUCCESS.